"Every player needs match rhythm. We pay a lot for the players so it is normal they play football for us, that is also in the second team.

"He has not reacted like the media have reacted. I have explained already five months ago that every player who doesn’t play has to play sometimes, not regularly, but sometimes when we think it’s needed to play more minutes in the second team."

United have an option for turn Falcao's season-long loan in to a permanent transfer in the summer which would cost them £40m.